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Position Paper on the Ten-Year Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Platform for Action

Position Paper on the Ten-Year Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Platform for Action

14 January 2005

The Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcome Document of the 23rd Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly presents an opportunity for Member States to advance the achievement of gender equality, development, armed conflict prevention and sustainable peace.

Recognizing the linkages between the commitments made in the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and the Millennium Declaration, and Emphasizing that sustainable peace is a prerequisite for development:

We urge Member States to prioritize implementation of the commitments made in these documents and to integrate the following principles into the Political Declaration and their respective plenary statements at the 49th Session of CSW:

  • Ensure equal access and full participation of women in power structures and all levels of decision-making on the prevention and resolution of armed conflicts as well as on the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. Put in place institutional mechanisms and temporary special measures including quotas in order to achieve women's full participation in decision-making on peace and security issues.
  • Eliminate impunity for violations of human rights, in particular gender-based and sexual violence, by supporting the creation of and strengthening of existing mechanisms entrusted with prosecuting perpetrators of such violations.
  • Reduce military expenditures, arms trade, investment for arms production and acquisition and reallocate resources to social and economic development, poverty alleviation, promotion of human security and the advancement of women.
  • Ensure that refugee, internally displaced and returnee women and girls are fully involved in the planning, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all assistance programming. Guarantee their protection, including physical and material security in order to ensure their participation.
  • Address gender equality and women's empowerment as essential components for national and global achievement of each one of the Millennium Development Goals and the building of sustainable peace.
  • Promote peace and human rights education to foster a culture of peace.

The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security urges Member States to seize the opportunity to advance the agenda of women, peace and security at the 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.